McGuire: LFA 8— Hamilton vs. Bazzi Recap

The Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) is a leading developmental promotion to the UFC.

Cee Jay Hamilton vs. Jesse Bazzi

Round 1

The two prospects begin to get a sense of the other’s movement to get this main event bout underway, but it’s Cee Jay Hamilton who lands first with a left inside leg kick. Hamilton is then warned about outstretched fingers. He connects with a front kick but Bazzi is still upright and counters with a left hand and leg kick of his own. The first is comprised of a lot of head movement and footwork early on.

Hamilton returns to the front kick and Bazzi counters with two left hands. Another inside leg kick from Hamilton hits its mark. He tries to get a flurry going and Bazzi stops it with a right hand. An outside leg kick lands but “The Autobot” whiffs on a high kick and Bazzi reacts with another left when Hamilton fails to tie him up in the clinch.

Bazzi is successful next with what looks to be a left straight punch. They continue their dance until Hamilton scores with a spinning back fist. They tie up momentarily and Hamilton is the victor of the exchange thanks to a high knee. The action then stops inside the last minute after a kick to the groin by Bazzi. Hamilton serves him up an uppercut and a wide-reaching hook to follow a right.

The fury of Hamilton continues with a vast array of shots including a jumping turning back kick as the round expires.

Round 2

The opening half-minute of the middle frame passes without incident until a high kick from Hamilton, but it’s blocked. He’s all over the place and hard to track as Bazzi lands a single left straight a minute in. Bazzi gets his hands up as a roundhouse kick comes his way at the halfway point of the round and the fight as a whole.

Two minutes are gone and Hamilton is the only one firing off combos while still aiming for Bazzi’s head with his feet as well. An inside leg kick sets up another uppercut. Hamilton draws cheers from the crowd, surprising them by catching Bazzi’s leg off of a slow kick, dumping him on his back, and then going for a front headlock/guillotine choke, keeping the rising Bazzi down with a knee to the head.

Hamilton gets far side wrist control and takes’s his opponent’s back. However, Bazzi stands right away and spins his way out of trouble. The duo trade shots but stay upright to take this bout into its final round.

Round 3

Bazzi starts the third with another inside leg kick. Hamilton fakes a movement but is caught by a left hand. He jabs at Hamilton, who sets up a kick to the torso with a nice two-strike combination before another high kick with 3:30 left to go. Bazzi is doing his best to get his striking volume up, but Hamilton evades him with two minutes off the clock now.

The contest pauses again after a second low blow, this time from Hamilton. The referee issues a general warning and things continue. Both men get wild though and the bout freezes once more after an awkward jab from Bazzi connects low as well.

After the stop-start pace, Hamilton takes over again, this time with a jumping roundhouse kick that lands slightly. The two men stay at a distance, throwing combinations that are just out of range. An ax kick-right hook duo with a jumping knee puts Hamilton further ahead in points during the final minute and he takes the victory.

Bellator MMA veterans Jeremie Holloway and Dave Vitkay are both rebounding under the LFA banner. While “The A-Town Ogre” in Vitkay might have done better in Bellator (3-0 compared to 0-2,) “Hit ‘Em” Holloway proved last night that he should never be counted out by making short work of his opponent.